I have to spend 3 weeks in Sydney over xmas and was thinking of taking one of my bikes.

Flying from Glasgow to Dubai then to Sydney. 3 of us traveling so I can use the bike, gear and bag within my baggage allowance.

Anyone had any issues with Emirates and traveling with their bike?

No experience with Emirates, but make sure your bike is spotless when you try and take it through Oz customs. Clean it, clean it and clean it again and change your tyres to clean/new tyres if you can.

I’d be interested in any info too – thinking of doing the same thing next year (to NZ though)

What fuzzhead said re cleaning – a few years ago I had to take mine pretty much from doing Mayhem to Canada. Gave it what I thought was a pretty good clean but even so they gave me a really hard time at customs.

And even more so about my cycling shoes – they took ’em away and scrubbed ’em, said I was lucky for them not to bill me for the pleasure! 😯

Fair enough, it was my oversight 😳 – managing (agricultural) disease spread is a real concern, and the Aussies are very hot on this.

I would check that the bike can be included in your baggage allowance. You may well be under the weight limit but many airlines still insist on booking sports equipment separately.

And I echo the thoughts on customs. If you ‘fess up on arrival at customs at Kingsford-Smith that your bike has been off road they will treat you much more politely than if you just try to pass through the green channel. And boy, can they be grumpy and really bugger you about.

Good plan though.

heard that before about the cleaning. Will be putting on new tyres,have new five tens and some road shoes (+pedals) for a road bike hire as some of the guys we are visiting like the tarmac over there.

Was thinking of taking the hack bike (dirt jumper), but will just risk it with the trail bike and will use Snowcard insurance to cover the bike in the event of a no show or breakage.

Looked into hiring a bike when there, but it is expensive and working out cheaper to bring something with me….including the purchase of new tyres and shoes 🙂

Checked with Emirates and there is a 30kg limit…which works for me. I will pack all my clothes with my son’s allowance 🙂

The only point they stressed was that the air has to be out of the tyres.

I flew with emirates last christmas and they were really good about taking a bike – it’s included in your allowance. I flew from manchester and they just make you put it on a separate trolley before you board. The Australian customs do give it a good looking over so make sure it’s spotless.

Took mine to Melbourne with Emirates a few months ago.

First thing, dont forget you can take 7kg in hand luggage, most of my clothes went in there, I took a 35ltr osprey rucksack which was around the max size and weighed f all.

Mine made it there fine, but make sure you pack it well and put spacers in your forks and rear drop outs (my forks had a 20mm axle which I forgot to tighten and they got a bit squashed but sprung back ok). I cut a piece of 15mm plastic pipe the width of a rear hub and put it in the frame on the QR to brace the rear.

Strangely, after a whole afternoon of paranoid cleaning, including removing the cleats from my shoes (amazing how much sheep poo can fit under them), I got to customs and they only asked to see the tyres. I bought new ones to take with me so they were spotless and they just waved me through. Think I may be the exception to the rule as I’ve heard some other stories of people having to pay $$$ for a clean or face having their bike confiscated.

Didn’t bother cleaning any more than hosing it down when returning to UK, nobody asked to see anything when I got back.

I went from Birmingham to Sydney via Dubai with Emirates, no problems. 30kg luggage allowance. Arrived with a 32.5KG bike box and was waved through. On the limit for hand luggage too (you can take almost anything on as hand luggage, even spare tyres, although probably only folding type) Tools go in the bike box though. Helmet can be carried outside the luggage. Wear as many clothes as you can (3 T-shirts, 2 jumpers, a huge coat and big hat does feel slightly silly in Dubai when it’s 31 degrees at 7am when you get off the plane…) and fill your pockets, as that isn’t luggage.
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I was going to a 24hr race and had a lot of stuff to take!
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Note also, for getting a bike into Australia it must be spotless, really spotless, as must shoes etc and yes they do check. No (or very few anyway) food items allowed in either, also animal or plant products (although that didn’t apply to the wool and cotton I was wearing fortunately!)

Thanks for the info guys. I have an Evoc bike bag that I used for the Mega this year and a silly amount of bubble wrap. Will give it a serious clean though and sneak as much bike bits into my sons suitcase 🙂

I wouldn’t risk a bag. A proper box does eat into your luggage allowance but if you have a nice bike it’s just not worth the risk to do otherwise..
I bought a proper box for £50 off fleabay. Also, don’t waste your weight with foam/bubble wrap padding, use your clothes.
The six guys I met up with there all had bags and five of the bikes had survived the journey…

The Evoc bike bag is fairly solid though, not like your normal soft bag.

I find it odd that you would go as far as Australia for 3 weeks, with your son, and not think of all the things to fill your days with that perhaps don’t involve riding a mountain bike.

If you have mates in Oz, why not get them to buy a decent 2nd hand bike for you and sell it on when you leave. Just take your contact points with you (saddle, pedals, shoes, maybe bars)

Be a lot less faff.

We’re visting my wife’s friends & family in Sydney and I plan to do some riding with the locals./friends in the mornings (5:30-8am) before we head out for family stuff each day. Let me tell you I have a full itinery each day and my son has a bike sorted for the trip, its just me that’s without. 🙂

Interesting about the cleaning, when I flew with emirates to Brisbane a couple of years back customs took my bike and cleaned it for me foc!
Not saying its still like that but 4 years ago that’s how they did it

I flew Emirates to Perth for a month a couple of years ago, and there was no problem taking the bike.

Having lived in Oz previously I knew how zealous the border control can be about dirt so I took my bike into the shower to clean it properly. They really appreciated the effort I had made.

You’ll have no worries maaate.

some riding with the locals./friends in the mornings (5:30-8am)

They will all have set off long before this.
Why do Aussies get up so ealry?

http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis

These are the johnnies you need to satisfy. Any questions and I have an Aus quarantine expert sitting at a desk near mine, as you do.